Federal Drug Investigations & Process

The Process

An investigation by the DEA can start in a variety of ways. This may simply include a lower-level drug dealer or “middle-man” who was arrested and begins cooperating with the government. This person or persons may start providing to the government evidence about those who are higher up on the trafficking chain. This evidence may be in the form of text messages, social media, or even information about international money and drug supply by way of bank records and travel documents.

Investigations can start in other ways as well. The DEA or FBI may set up and use surveillance techniques to monitor well-known smuggling ports such as the Bahamas, Miami or the southern-border. By doing so, the government can keep an eye on locations which are prone to drug-trafficking and develop different leads.

There is no particular method to affirmatively discover if federal agents are monitoring a particular person or entity engaged in drug-smuggling or drug-trafficking. However, having an experienced and well-connected federal defense attorney can help with potentially finding out if somebody is a target. Indeed, a defense attorney may be tipped off by other counsel that their client had been arrested and that prosecutor’s had indicated a larger investigation is ongoing. In the same breath, defense attorneys who maintain good relationships with private investigators as well as active DEA agents may be able to gain insight as to the status of certain drug-related investigations. 

Investigations Phase

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may all play a role when it comes to federal drug investigations whether in New York, Florida, or elsewhere throughout the country. These agencies have vast resources and frequently use wiretaps, cooperating witnesses, and confidential informants to build cases. To confront the power of federal prosecutors and law enforcement, it is crucial that individuals and entities have learned federal defense counsel to counter-investigate and protect against any constitutional violations during the investigatory phase.

Without proper counsel, individuals may do extreme harm to their situation during the early phases of a federal drug investigation. Indeed, forensic material may be inadvertently deleted which could prove exculpatory later on. Individuals may also receive a grand jury letter or be asked to speak with the FBI - doing so, without counsel, will likely lead to incriminating statements which will be used later on during a criminal prosecution. Likewise, making a false statement to law enforcement (lying to a federal agent) at this time could lead to a perjury charge or obstruction of justice charges.

Evidentiary Issues

Most evidence gathered during an investigation will be used during the pendency of a criminal prosecution. As alluded to, this evidence will include wiretaps, recorded conversations, cooperating witnesses who were formerly co-conspirators, search warrants, banking information, and purchases made with large amounts of cash.

Your Defense Begins Now

If you are being investigated for a federal drug charge or a federal narcotics conspiracy, it is imperative to hire a federal defense lawyer to fend off these charges by building a creative and thoughtful defense at the earliest stages. Contact The Law Offices of Jason Goldman today.